How to install an epoxy pebble floor

Installing an epoxy pebble floor involves mixing small pebbles with an epoxy resin, and spreading the mixture over an existing floor surface. The mixture hardens into a durable, long-lasting waterproof material that requires little maintenance. Epoxy pebble floors are good for indoor and outdoor use, and hard enough to provide stable coverage in even heavy-traffic areas. The installation process is quick, with floors being available for use after about a week's drying time. Because it's a floor covering consisting of small, loose stones, you can spread it over any subsurface, even one with dips or rises, as long as you complete the proper preparation.

Skill level:

Moderate

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Things you need

Broom

PH-neutral cleaner

Mop

Scrub brush

Water

Wood putty

Joint repair sealant

Epoxy primer

Bucket

Electric drill

Mixer paddle drill bit

Epoxy resin

Pebbles, 1/4-inch diameter

Trowel

2-part component varnish

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Instructions

1

Clean the floor thoroughly. Sweep away any loose dirt or debris with a stiff-bristled broom, and mop the surface with a pH-neutral cleaner. Scrub away ground-in dirt with a scrub brush. Rinse the surface completely to remove any residue left from the cleaning.

2

Repair any cracks in the floor before installation. Fill cracks in wood floors with wood putty; for stone floors, use a joint repair sealant injected into the cracks. Allow the repairs 24 hours to dry.

3

Mix the epoxy primer in a large bucket. Combine the two-part epoxy primer in a bucket in the ratio suggested by the primer manufacturer. Mix a small batch at a time, about ½ gallon worth. Mix the primer with an electric drill equipped with a paddle bit.

4

Spread a layer of the resin onto the floor surface as a primer to seal the floor and create a bonding layer for the pebble mixture. Use a paint roller to brush the primer resin onto the floor, covering the surface completely. Each ½ gallon of primer should cover about 100 feet of floor space. Allow the primer one hour drying time.

5

Mix a batch of two-part epoxy resin, adding the stones to the mixture. Mix about 45.4kg. of pebbles in with each gallon of resin. Trowel the pebble mixture onto the floor immediately after mixing. Spread the pebble mixture across the surface of the floor, using the trowel to create an even layer of the pebble coating. The 1-gallon mix of resin and 100 stones will cover about 50 square feet of floor surface. Apply the mixture until you've covered the entire floor. Allow the epoxy pebbles to dry for 24 hours.

6

Sweep away any loose pebbles with the broom. Seal the surface of the floor with a two-part component varnish to stabilise the pebbles in place and smooth the surface. Allow the epoxy flooring to dry for an additional seven days before using the floor surface.

Tips and warnings

Clean the tools occasionally, using solvent to avoid having the pebbles stick to the trowel during application.